Route 41 project: 'Two days of frustration'

IDOT says Highland Park work should finish today

October 29, 2013|By Susan Berger, Special to the Tribune

Wednesday's commute for people in the Highland Park area should be free of the last couple days' frustration.

A construction project that resulted in heavy delays on Route 41 at the intersection of Park Avenue West on Monday and Tuesday is expected to be finished by this afternoon, according to IDOT project engineer Mike Schechtman.

Schechtman said IDOT tried to schedule the lane closures to have the least impact on commuters — closing northbound lanes in the morning and the southbound lanes in the afternoon.

Even with alternating the closures, there was still two-way traffic with reduced lanes — but that resulted in significant traffic delays.

"We had two days of frustration that will result in a nice intersection that will last 15 years," Schechtman said.

The project was supposed to continue through Wednesday, but because of the good weather it should be completed by about 4 p.m. today.